MUMBAI: Rashid Khan says Gujarat Titans are still well placed to turn their IPL-2026 campaign around, despite suffering defeats in their opening two matches. The Afghanistan T20I skipper also admitted that his participation in the one-off Test against India in June is uncertain, citing concerns related to his back.<\/p>\n
Rashid, who captained Gujarat Titans in their most recent outing against Rajasthan Royals at Ahmedabad with regular skipper Shubman Gill unavailable due to back spasms, believes the side is close to finding the right rhythm. He suggested that while results have not gone their way yet, the performances have offered a clear pathway to recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cGill didn\u2019t want to take a chance. We still have a long run in this tournament. We\u2019ve lost two very tight matches \u2014 one when we were defending 163 and another when we were chasing 211. In both cases, we were in the contest, but we couldn\u2019t close it out properly. There are still 12 games left, so we\u2019ll learn from these situations and come back stronger,\u201d Rashid said.<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old leg-spinner, who underwent back surgery in November 2023, said he will decide on the Test against India in New Chandigarh (June 6\u201310) depending on how his body responds during the build-up. He noted that after the operation he was advised against playing Test cricket for a long stretch due to the physical demands of the format.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the surgery, I wasn\u2019t cleared to play Test cricket for two or three years. The doctor told me that if I want a longer career, that\u2019s the format I should avoid because of the workload,\u201d Rashid explained.<\/p>\n
He added that his previous Test workload underlined the risk. \u201cIn my last Test, I bowled 55 overs. For someone returning from back surgery, that\u2019s a big risk. So we\u2019ll consider the Test match, but I\u2019m definitely looking forward to the ODIs against India \u2014 it should be an exciting series for us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Rashid last appeared in a Test in January 2025 versus Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. In that match, he produced figures of 4\/94 and 7\/66 as his side won by 72 runs.<\/p>\n
Once viewed as one of the most feared bowlers in the IPL, particularly during his spell with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rashid has seen returns drop in recent seasons. In IPL-2025, he finished with nine wickets from 15 matches at an average of 57.11, while his economy rate stood at 9.34. So far in the current season, he has taken two wickets across two games.<\/p>\n
Despite the numbers, Rashid believes the decline is not primarily tied to his injury. \u201cHonestly, it\u2019s not about the injury. Last year, I was just missing my length and line, and that\u2019s what kept me from performing at the level I\u2019ve managed over the last six or seven years. In the last two matches, I feel like I\u2019ve hit 90 to 95% of the areas I wanted to, and that\u2019s a positive sign,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Rashid also pointed to how conditions in the league have shifted. With flatter surfaces and rising scoring rates, bowlers are facing a tougher task than in previous years. He highlighted how targets have escalated and how that changes what is required from every over.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo or three years ago, nobody thought teams would regularly score 300. Now people are talking about it. If teams are scoring 230 to 240 often, you can\u2019t expect to bowl four overs for 10 runs and take two wickets. Earlier, 180 to 190 was considered a good total. Now, even defending 220 is difficult. The pitches are flatter, and spinners don\u2019t always get the same support, but for me it\u2019s about improving myself,\u201d Rashid said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MUMBAI: Rashid Khan says Gujarat Titans are still well placed to turn their IPL-2026 campaign around, despite suffering defeats in their opening two matches. The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":603,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Rashid Khan: GT Bounce Back in IPL 2026 After Losses","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Rashid Khan says Gujarat Titans can still turn IPL 2026 around after early defeats, while weighing his uncertain India Test return due to back issues.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n